While it has yet to receive approval, proposed expansions to BX Elementary have taken the next step.
The Ministry of Education has asked School District 22 to deliver a final Project Definition Report (PDR) by Sept. 30 for the expansion of BX Elementary.
While this is not yet approval for the proposed expansion project, a PDR is the second stage of planning and demonstrates that the district has received Ministry of Education support for advancing the project.
“We are very pleased to be able to move on to the next step in the process,” said Kelly Smith, board chair. “The BX community has seen steady growth over the years, which has resulted in increased enrolment at BX Elementary. An expansion to the school will allow the district, and specifically BX Elementary, to accommodate the long term growth in the area and eliminate the need for the five portables.”
The district is required to present a five year capital plan to the Board of Education on an annual basis, along with a project request fact sheet, the first stage of the Ministry’s capital project procurement procedure. In the 2018/19 capital plan, the BX school expansion project was identified as the first priority for expansion projects.
To advance the BX Elementary expansion project, the PDR submission will include a more detailed assessment of need, options, costs, benefits, risks, engineering, design, environmental requirements, permit requirements and all other items affecting project scope, schedule or budget. The Ministry will rely on the information within the PDR to seek project funding approval by government in late 2018.
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